No its because that is an old map thats why it says M1 - ongoing. But yeah your other 2 ideas sounds good. Quetta should be connected to the whole system as well. But that would need stability in Afghanistan and our border regions.

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China to help Pakistan expand strategic road links
By Shafek Koreshe
ISLAMABAD, Jul 14 (APP): Pakistan will soon be embarking on an ambitious plan to expand its strategic road, rail network to ease travel and facilitate trade with the Central Asian Republics, China and other regional countries.Among the eight agreements inked during Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif’s visit to China, one is the US $18 billion project to build a road and rail track, including string of tunnels in the mountainous track passing over a height 4,693 meters to be used as part of the Pakistan-China Economic corridor. The economic corridor, planned to boost trade between the two countries, will use the existing 1300 km long Karakoram Highway (KKH), including a new section that is currently being realigned due to construction of the Diamer Bhasha Dam, and a 700 km extension further South up to the Gwadar Port, for fast transportation of goods.

The KKH that is currently undergoing an expansion is being made into an all weather modern highway with ability to handle trucks with 40 feet containers and on completion will cut down the journey from over 30 hours to 20, from Khunjerab to Islamabad. Work on the expansion of the KKH that was scheduled to complete in 2013 was delayed due to the landslide at Attabad and submerging of the road.
The Prime Minister was informed that work on the Attabad Lake would be completed by 2016 while the rehabilitation of KKH would complete a year earlier.
Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif called for early completion of the repair and rehabilitation works on Karakorum Highway. He termed the road link as of utmost importance and said it should be rehabilitated without any delay so that the bilateral trade between Pakistan and China flourish.
He also urged the Chinese company’s head to accomplish the rehabilitation work on Attabad Lake and surrounding areas.
The interest of the Chinese govenment in the project is quite obvious as it provides a shorter access to the Arabian Sea, the sea route through which almost 20 per cent of world’s oil supply passes.
The link will also give China shortest route for its exports to the Gulf, Africa and Europe, prompting Premier Li Keqaing to say that China has strategic interest in this Corridor. The KKH currently links Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang Autonomous region with Abbottabad.
Under the ambitious plans Pakistan and China will be studying addition of a railway track along the KKH. With the addition of a rail link, the goods that now take over a month through the sea route, will take only ten days to reach their destination, between the two countries.
Both the countries also plan to upgrade their cargo handling ability at their borders, which is confined to 100,000 metric tons, owing to the poor road linkage. China has already started a study to find a suitable location for a railway station at Kashgar.
Yuan Jianmin, Director of Xinjiang Logistic Association was quoted in a news report as saying that “a railway link between China and Pakistan railway would transform Kashgar and allow it to truly become an economic hub.”
As part of plan to enhance communication linkages the Strategic Communication Organization (SCO) of Pakistan and Huawei inked a document during Prime Minister’s visit, for laying optic fiber for a fast communication link between Pakistan and China. It includes an over 800 kms long Optical Fibre Cable from the Chinese border to Rawalpindi (OFC),along the Karakoram Highway.
It will connect Pakistan and Trans-Asia Europe (TAE) cable in China,enabling both the countries to have alternative routes for their international telecom traffic. At Present, Pakistan is connected to the world through undersea cables, including; SEA-ME-WE 3&4, IMEWE and TWA-1. Pakistan and China also agreed to work on construction of a motorway between Lahore and Karachi.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif directed completion of the Motorway within two and half years, following the completion of the feasibility study of the project in three months.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who has to his credit the construction of Pakistan’s first Motorway between Lahore and Islamabad said his government would not compromise on quality of the work. He hoped the project would benefit the people of all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is a historic day. Once this project completes, the travel time would reduce remarkably and would ultimately promote business activities in the region,” Nawaz Sharif said.
Currently Lahore is linked with a M-3 Motorway with Faisalabad, while work on M-4 Faisalabad-Multan section is underway. The previous cabinet early this year approved the award of contract to the Frontier Works Organisation for the construction of the 136 kms long M-9 Motorway to link Karachi with Hyderabad. However work on the remaining sections south of Multan is yet to start.
Prime Minister Sharif said the government was committed to provide comfortable and affordable transport facilities to its citizens within minimum possible time.
During his stay in China Sharif also traveled from Beijing to Shanghai aboard a high speed train and evinced desire for a similar project in Pakistan to fulfill his commitment of providing comfortable transport facility to the people.
Project Chief Engineer and General Manager High Speed Train Management Zhao Guotang in a detailed briefing to the Prime Minister said China has achieved excellence in designing and manufacturing of high speed trains.
He said the project costs around $20 million per kilometer, however the cost can be decreased using latest technology.
Prime Minister Sharif has invited Chairman CSCEC Yi Jun to Pakistan in August to discuss various development projects in Pakistan including the construction of highways and the bullet train.
The positive aspect of the agreements between the two countries is that all feasibility studies of developmental projects are slated to complete in one year’s time and it is hoped that work will start soon thereafter, bringing about a real change in the lives of the people

ISLAMABAD - Taking serious notice of extraordinary delay in Balochistan road projects, the PML-N government has planned to monitor the progress of dozens of projects which are pending due to plethora of reasons.
“Five main Balochistan projects are on the priority of the incumbent government and in this regard senators of concerned standing committee will also visit Quetta today (Tuesday),” sources in Communication Ministry told The Nation.
Two senior officials of National Highways Authority (NHA) including Raja Nosherwan and Yousaf ali Khan will share the reasons of the delayed projects and also brief future strategy on it, they said.
Sources said the committee will monitor the reasons behind the delay of all these projects, which are pending due to different reasons.
It would not be out of place to mention here that paucity of funds has always stated to be one of the main reasons behind the delay in execution of important development projects in the country but in case of Balochistan deteriorating law and order situation and non-availability of technical experts and contractors are the main reasons. Due to these reasons, the sources said, even the contractors and technical experts from other provinces are reluctant to work there.
According to details, among 19 development projects including road linkage with Gwadar Port (which is important for transit trade), Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab road project and most of others are still under-construction even after passing the stipulated dates. Around 40 per cent work is still pending on Sorab-Basima-Naag-Panjgur-Hoshab (454-km) road.
The projects which could not be completed even after passing of the stipulated dates are N-25, widening of Kalat-Quetta-Chaman, Kalat-Quetta (60-km), Quetta-Chaman (57-km), Lakpass Tunnel (180-metre), Muslim Bagh-Qila Saifulla (50-km), Ormara-Pasni section and others. Other substantially completed projects include Khanozai-Muslim Bagh section (50-km), Liari-Ormara section, Ormara and others.
Arbab Alamgir, former minister for communication, had also shared with this newspaper that due to law and order situation technical experts from Punjab were not willing to work in Balochistan.
The Communication Ministry’s portfolio is still with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and soon the government will give this responsibility to some other legislator from ruling party PML-N.
Technical experts shared that the increasing cost of country’s vital communication projects, probably running into billions of rupees, is not only causing delay in completion of national projects, but also the ministry is compelled not to touch any of the new projects because it has to complete the ongoing schemes.
They further said that astronomical escalation cost running into billion of rupees in delayed mega development projects throughout the country, especially of Balochistan province, could only be avoided if smooth funding is provided for next 10 years in budgetary allocation, which seems difficult amid global recession.
In order to complete the delayed road projects of comparatively deprived province, the PPP government had also tried to speed up work on Balochistans communication projects but failed to accomplish this task.
The most important delayed projects of communication ministry whose cost is escalating with each passing year are: Islamabad-Murree Expressway, Lowari Tunnel, Karakorum Highway (KKH), Northern bypass, Faisalabd-Multan Motorway (M-4), and some others.
The Islamabad-Murree Expressway (IME) was actually initiated with the cost of Rs 3 billion during Pakistan Muslim League (N) government’s tenure (1997-99) and now the project cost is near Rs 12 billion, according to details of the project.

Restructuring of Planning, Development Division approved
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan-China economic corridor will open up the underdeveloped areas of the country to a new era of economic development and prosperity by connecting maximum number of population through network of highways and railways. The Prime Minister expressed these views while taking briefing from the officials of Ministries of Planning, Communications and Railways at Pakistan Secretariat on Thursday.

Terming the Pak-China economic corridor as the future of the world, the Prime Minister said that three billion people, which is almost half of the world's population, from China, South Asia and Central Asia can benefit from this economic corridor and added that it should be so designed that maximum number of people of the country benefit from this corridor.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister was briefed at length about the proposed alignments and lines from Khunjrab to Gwadar that are to be constructed as part of Pakistan-China Economic Corridor. Putting great emphasis on ensuring quality of work and transparency, the Prime Minister directed the authorities concerned to explore more options keeping in view the factors of terrain, population and social cost of the project in the form of population dislocations while drawing the areas through which this Corridor will be passing.

The Prime Minister said that Lahore-Islamabad Motorway should be taken as a model and that its quality and standard need to be kept in view while constructing the Pak-China economic corridor. Taking strong exception to the poor condition of motorways and roads in the country, the Prime Minister said that motorways, highways and road networks are national assets and their repair and maintenance must be given the top most priority.

The Prime Minister said, "we should have constructed many more Motorways uptil now" but lamented the fact that development of roads and motorways have been low priority area in the country. The Prime Minister lamented the fact that projects have never been completed on time and not completing them on time has almost become a national character.

"Without setting our priorities right and without moving in the right direction, we cannot attain the goal that we have in our mind for the people of Pakistan," said the Prime Minister. Expressing his dissatisfaction over the briefing, the Prime Minister gave one week to the Ministry of Communications to complete their work and ordered to arrange a follow-up briefing after that.

The Prime Minister directed Ministries of Communications, Railways and Planning to keep their home work up-to-date to take the process of co-operation with China on Pak-China economic corridor to next level of implementation. The Prime Minister also gave his approval in principle for the restructuring of Planning and Development Division.

Under the restructuring plan, the Planning Division will get the status of a think tank for highest policy input and the Ministry of Planning and Development will be renamed as Planning, Development and Reforms Division. Minister for Finance Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information Pervez Rashid, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Special Assistant to the PM Tariq Fatimi and senior officials of the Ministries of Planning, Railways and Communications attended the briefing.

Economic corridor is all on PM’s mind
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has expressed his “utter disappointment" over sheer "incompetence and lack of commitment" of the top babus of the ministry of communications for giving him a “poor presentation” about uplift and future plans to expand motorways and highways, Pakistan Today has learnt. A well-placed source which attended a briefing conducted for the prime minister at the ministry the other day said the PM, who is obsessed with the promise by the Chinese prime minister for the Pakistan-China economic corridor, gave the communications secretary seven days to prepare for a follow-up briefing over the projects and future planning for installing the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor. “During the briefing, the communications secretary informed the PM about gross irregularities committed by the PPP regime, adding that the ministry could not undertake major construction work in communications sector as funds earmarked for development and uplift of motorways and roads in the country were diverted by former prime ministers for mega projects in Multan, Larkana and Gujjar Khan.” The source said the prime minister was informed that former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani diverted ministry’s funds towards Multan and Larkana for mega projects, including a web of bridges in Multan and roads network to the lands of President Asif Zardari and his relatives. He said similar was the case with prime minister Pervez Ashraf, who diverted funds of the ministry towards Gujjar Khan’s development and due to the same reasons, the ministry could not undertake its basic patch-work, let alone undertaking new projects. “However, the prime minister turned a blind eye and ignored the matter, leaving an impression that the government was not serious in probing gross irregularities committed by the PPP regime,” the source added. The source said the secretary pointed out fifteen anomalies of serious nature in the audit of Motorways Police during the tenure of Zafar Abbas Lak. However, the PM ordered that those be shared with his office but did not make any specific order. Minister for Finance Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information Pervez Rashid, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Special Assistant to the PM Tareq Fatemi and senior officials of the ministries of planning, railways and communications attended the briefing. The matter also surfaced later during the proceedings of the sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Communication when ANP leader Senator Zahid Khan accused former PM Gilani of diverting funds from the ongoing National Highway Authority (NHA) projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa towards Multan. The senator also raised concern that during the past few months, Rs 3.7 billion had been allocated for Multan package. It was also said that only small amounts were released for Lowari Tunnel, Peshawar Northern By-Pass and Hassanabdal-Mansehra Highway projects. The source said the previous government of the PPP diverted funds of the Communications Ministry, neglecting the undertaking of various significant development projects, including projects in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The incomplete projects included AttabadLake at Karakoram Highway (KKH), Hassanabdal-Mansehra Road, Lowari Tunnel, Faisalabad-Multan Motorway, M-8 and other vital projects, which still remain stuck due to shortage of funds.

As a Chinese delegation is coming to Pakistan to hold first meeting of the task force on Gwadar-Kashgar initiative, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has approved restructuring of the Ministry of Planning for setting up special units for Pak-China cooperation and improving the country’s global ranking.

The meeting of the task force on Gwadar-Kashgar rail and road project would be held in Islamabad after Eid, said Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of Planning and Development here on Saturday.

He was speaking to the media on the government’s decision to restructure the Planning Division and Planning Commission.

Iqbal said the head of China’s National Development and Reforms Commission would visit Pakistan to co-chair the task force meeting. In the deliberations, a comprehensive roadmap for the next one year will be prepared in order to undertake geological surveys and seismic studies on the Gwadar-Kashgar project.

Terrain of the route was very tough and prone to dangers like floods and avalanches, he said.
Iqbal said in parallel to the Gwadar-Kashgar project, Karachi-Lahore Motorway would be built on a fast track on the build, operate and transfer (BOT) model.

He said the PM also approved completion of six-lane Karachi-Hyderabad motorway, Hasanabdal - Mansehra motorway and expansion of Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad motorway, all on BOT model.

Expansion of Pindi Bhattian - Faisalabad Motorway M-3 means quickly connecting it to M-4 or it means adding a third lane on both sides?!

Hasanabdal - Mansehra expressway is an old project... so if it's a reporting error or if it's because the ministers call everything Motorway, i don't now:-D It connects KKH to the M2...

Expanding Pindi Bhattian- Faisalabad (M3) probably means as you said, adding an extra lain to either said... But i don't think that they will delay the Faisalabad - Multan Motorway (M4)

Quote:

Iqbal said in parallel to the Gwadar-Kashgar project, Karachi-Lahore Motorway would be built on a fast track on the build, operate and transfer (BOT) model.

Now When they write this. I'm thinking that they are refering to the Reconstruction of KKH, Hasanabdal- Mansehra Expressway And Gwadar - Ratodero (M8). all which don't have anything to do with Lahore-Karachi Motorway and not a new planned motorway

Contra Lahore-Karachi:
Faisalabad- Multan(M4), Multan-DG Khan(M5), DG Khan - Ratodero(M6) Dadu-Hub(m7) They will probably extend the last Motorway from Ratodero - Hub
Which is of course a part of the bigger picture, (Gwadar - Kashgar project)

KARACHI: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced a six-lane motorway to be built from Karachi to Lahore. The announcement was made at a press conference in Karachi.

The prime minister signed MoU’s pertaining to the billion dollar project with China on his visit to the neighbouring country last month.

Nawaz Sharif arrived in Karachi for a one-day visit of the metropolis on Thursday, Express News reported on Thursday.

Nawaz Sharif stated that the Gadani power project in Balochistan would be completed soon. He also said that China had also confirmed four projects in Gadani.

The prime minister said that the new government had started working on the new energy policy soon after taking office. The total energy shortfall had come down to 3,000 megawatts.

He said that the government was not to only trying to bridge the gap between supply and demand, but was trying to surpass demand. The country should be thinking about the next 25 years, instead of the next 5 years, he said.

An economic corridor from Gwadar to the Pak-China border has also been planned, he said. The economic corridor plan including road, highway and railway would benefit several provinces including Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwah.

Prime Minister’s visit to Karachi

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Karachi for a one-day visit of the metropolis, Express News reported on Thursday.

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